


So Much We Don't Know

by failurebydesign



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Kid Fic, M/M, Pregnancy, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-20
Updated: 2015-07-20
Packaged: 2018-04-10 06:09:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4380206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/failurebydesign/pseuds/failurebydesign
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>"Anything new?" Liam asks casually, not pressing in case Louis prefers to fall back on hold habits and shrug it off.</i>
</p><p> </p><p>  <i>"Not really, well, I got someone pregnant."</i></p><p>Life happened. I had some feelings.</p>
            </blockquote>





	So Much We Don't Know

Louis is silent when he enters the room, unusual for someone who Liam often finds hanging across his back, arms draped over his shoulders. He drops his skateboard at his feet and gives a half-hearted 'hey' that Liam's come to recognize as a sign of disrupt in Louis' life.

"Anything new?" Liam asks casually, not pressing in case Louis prefers to fall back on hold habits and shrug it off.

"Not really, well, I got someone pregnant."

Liam laughs and God, he immediately wishes that he didn't because what he thinks is a joke isn't. He whips his head around the second that Louis doesn't react and finds him sunk down on the sofa, head in his hands. Liam wants to be surprised, but he's gone to clubs with Louis -- watched him leave with girls and never once admitted to being jealous. Not since they'd spent Valentine's Day drunk and snogging, pretending that it hadn't happened the next day.

"Hey, hey, come on," Liam says quickly and positions himself between Louis' knees. He moves his hands away and replaces them with his own, feeling the warmth of Louis' cheeks against his palms. His voice is softer when he kneels down until they're eye level. "It's a good thing, innit? You love babies."

"Funny thing," Louis shrugs, eyes full and glossy. Liam can tell by the bags beneath his eyes that he's known for awhile and stressed to the point where he's stopped sleeping all together. "I thought I'd be on my own time. When I'm married or summat, you know?"

"Yeah," Liam nods, shifts to the sofa and pulls Louis into a tight hug. It isn't much by far, but Louis is receptive and seems to melt into his chest. "You'll be okay."

"You think so?" Louis bites his lip. It's obvious he's doing his best not to cry in front of Liam, though he's seen it tons of times before.

"I know so."

Louis smiles, weakly at first but it grows when he tightens his arms around Liam's waist. "Thank you."

They stay like that for awhile, until Liam feels his arm that's pinned beneath the smaller boy begins to fall asleep. Liam presses his chin to the top of Louis' head and feels his breathing, warm and steady against his chest. His arm isn't the only thing that's fallen asleep. He's careful when he wiggles his arm free and lets it fall against the small of Louis' back, closing his own eyes and doing his best to keep still. Liam isn't tired, but he'll pretend to be if it's what Louis needs.

Louis only sleeps for an hour, but he wakes up, eyes already clearer than when he'd first walked in. He stretches his arms over his head, lets out a loud, satisfied yawn and smiles like falling asleep on Liam is routine. It was, at one point, anyway.

"Sleep well?" Liam asks and he too stretches when Louis sits up. His limbs had gone stiff ages ago, but he doesn't complain. It's a small price to pay to see Louis beginning to come around.

"Like a baby," Louis says, then stops short, looking as if he's said something offensive. "Fuck."

"Gonna have to work on that language, yeah?" Liam laughs. He doesn't bring up that sleeping like a baby actually entails waking up screaming every few hours. It's probably not something Louis wants to hear right about now. Instead, he musses up his hair and grins when Louis bats him away.

"Oi, fuck off, Payno!" Louis pulls a face and fixes his hair, despite one side already having gone flat from sleeping on it. It's messy when he's finished, but in that perfected way he likes. 

Liam just rolls his eyes. He knows Louis, how he's vulgar and irresponsible, getting into everything he's not supposed to and speaking out against everything he doesn't agree with. But he also knows the other side of Louis that's loving yet terrified -- protective as hell when it comes to his sisters and more than capable of easily transitioning into fatherhood.

Louis cocks his head and perhaps he knows what Liam's thinking, though he keeps quiet.

"What is it?" Liam asks.

"You know very well I'm shitting it," Louis admits.

Liam can tell Louis is thinking about it by the way he lowers his gaze and picks at a loose thread on his joggers. Louis knows he hates the fidgeting (it's counterproductive) and briefly wonders if he's going it for a reaction but no, they're not doing that anymore. It's automatic, the way he grabs ahold of Louis' hand and gives it a little squeeze, but it's as far as he takes things. There's no amount of fooling around that's appropriate now. 

"I'm going to support you 100%," Liam smiles and tries to ignore the warm feeling inside when Louis weaves their fingers together. It's over now. "That baby's gonna need lots of spoiling from it's favorite uncle."

"Uncle?" Louis blurts out and quickly softens his tone. "You're more than that, you know."

He's not sure what that means, Godfather, maybe, but he doesn't ask.

"Are you going to marry her?" It's something else Liam knows he shouldn't ask.

"God, maybe?" Louis looks up and then immediately shakes his head. "No, I can't. Not after seeing what me mum's gone through. She deserves to be happy. I could try, for a little, maybe but wouldn't be fair, would it?" He stares at Liam as if he's looking for an answer that Liam can't give.

"Suppose you're right," he shrugs, because who is he to give advice when the one he's loved for nearly five years hasn't a single clue. "Who knows, maybe you'll get close."

"Maybe," Louis shrugs and waves his hand dismissively like he's done talking about it. "Anyway, keep this between us? Only mum and Dan know so far. She's already picking out names and setting aside stuff the twins grew out of already. Mad, I tell you."

They're silent long enough to let it all sink in. It isn't just another child being added to the Tomlinson family. It's Louis' child, still so small and forming more each and every day. Liam doesn't doubt it's going to have the same bright, blue eyes and the thought alone is enough to bring a smile to his face. If he thinks he loves Louis, he knows he's going to adore his miniature.

The future is uncertain, where they'll be after they're done touring and recording their fifth album. Liam doesn't know what to expect -- if they'll keep on going through their extended break or split apart for good. It's something he's not ready to think about. There's one thing that he is certain of, though. 

Liam smiles again and brushes the longer piece of fringe to the side, leans in and gives Louis a gentle kiss on his forehead. "But you'll be the best dad."


End file.
